Various types of automobile shades are available in the art. For example, conventional automobile shades may include manual car sun shades that cover a front windshield or a rear window of an automobile. Such conventional automobile shades may include a reflective material.
For example, one conventional shade disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,066 includes a spring-wound retractable roller shade that is permanently attached to a portion of a seat in the automobile. The roller shade disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,066 appears to require hardware, such as a spring-wound roller, mounting brackets, and a longitudinal axial shaft.
Also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,790,592 discloses an extendable-retractable rolled covering that is mounted onto the seat with a permanently attached trim piece, having a J-shaped plastic retention member. The covering is made of a material that is highly stain and soil resistant. However, this covering may not completely cover all areas of the seat (e.g., it may cover just the seat bottom cushion or the bottom and back part of the seat).
Another type of automobile shade includes a thermal insulating shade (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,343). This thermal insulating shade can reflect heat in hot weather and can be reversed to retain heat in cold weather. This thermal shade has at least one envelope with substantially parallel side panels that hold insulating air between them. The insulating shade has two envelopes where air can be pumped into and out of each envelope. The air can be supplied by the car or another source like a motor run by a car battery, (alkaline) battery, and/or solar cell battery. The shade of the '343 patent extends from the front shelf of the car (like the dash) to the rear shelf of the car and is held in place by a tubular cross support under the rear bend of the unit. Suction cups, releasable adhesive spacers or conventional hangers are used to attach the shade to a window, door or roof. The shade can be used in a car or in a house used to shade/cover a window.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,204 discloses a flexible cover that uses a support frame to cover an entire interior portion of the automobile, in which the cover is positioned below the lower edge of windshield, side windows and rear window. The flexible cover of the '204 patent uses a support frame to keep the cover snug and taught in place. It has a steering wheel hood, a seat headrest hood and a belt. The material can be canvas, nylon, rayon or other ultraviolet (UV) protecting material. Its frame has elongated arms near the front and back to prevent drooping. It uses rivets or fasteners. When installed, it covers substantially the entire car interior below the lower edge of the windshield, the side windows and the rear window. One variation uses a latch bolt lock to allow support arms to fold in a clockwise direction. Other alternative designs include detachable arms, sliding arms, an elevated inner portion, and instead of arms, suction cups and a hook to keep it in place, or a rigid material like cardboard.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,378,514 discloses an automobile sun-proof shade made of a bottom layer of polyester coated with an aluminum reflector, and a top layer of polyester coated with aluminum, with a resilient metal ring sealed between the top and bottom layers. However, the '514 patent does not specify where the shade is placed in the car or disclose much detail as to the specific use(s) of the shade.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publ. No. 2001-246942 discloses a manual car sun shade that appears to be placed in the front windshield of a car to provide shade. When not in use, it appears that the shade can be folded up and stored on the roof (or ceiling) of the car, and kept in place when folded with magnets. It also appears that the shade uses a hinge and either a magnet or tape.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publ. No. 63-82817 discloses a rear sun shade for a car, and is used specifically as a cover of a rear window panel. Part of the shade is designed such that one end is pulled or ‘reeled’ out or in and is attached to the rear seat when pulled out. It uses a hook to lock the shade to the rear roof when not in use. Its function appears to be to shield the sun shining in the head space in the occupant zone.
However, such conventional automobile shades typically require additional hardware (e.g., in addition to the hardware already in the car or on the shade itself), and may not adequately cover the entire major surface of the internal structure of the automobile to be protected, such as a front driver's seat, the front and back passenger seats, a steering wheel, and/or a gear shift. As such, there is a need for an apparatus that provides adequate coverage of the internal structures of a vehicle, and does so without requiring additional hardware.
This “Discussion of the Background” section is provided for background information only. The statements in this “Discussion of the Background” are not an admission that the subject matter disclosed in this “Discussion of the Background” section constitutes prior art to the present disclosure, and no part of this “Discussion of the Background” section may be used as an admission that any part of this application, including this “Discussion of the Background” section, constitutes prior art to the present disclosure.